This application claims priority from Italian Patent Application TO2000A 000663 titled xe2x80x9cMetodo e Macchina di Molatura per la Lavorazione di Lastre di Vetro,xe2x80x9d filed Jun. 30, 2000; the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
In machines for machining sheets of glass, particularly in grinding machines, it is known practice to hold the sheets of glass in an unambiguous reference position during machining using a retention assembly comprising a plurality of sucker bodies which are arranged manually on a support surface defined by the machine base, their positions being modified whenever required as a function of the dimensions and type of the glass sheets to be machined.
Retention assemblies of the known type described above are not very satisfactory when it is necessary to machine a succession of sheets of glass whose dimensions differ from each other, not only because it takes a relatively long time to arrange the sucker bodies manually each time in the appropriate positions, but more importantly because of the obvious need to ensure that the machining tools do not interfere with the base or with the members used to support, position and retain the sheets of glass, independently of the dimensions and shape of the sheets.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly for supporting and retaining sheets of glass, particularly in a machine for machining the sheets of glass, by which the problems described above can be solved in a simple and economical manner.
The present invention provides an assembly for supporting and retaining sheets of glass, particularly in a machine for machining the sheets of glass. The assembly comprises a support structure and retention means carried by the support structure to keep the sheet of glass in an unambiguous reference position with respect to the support structure on a plane. The assembly also comprises actuator means for displacing the retention means between a raised position and a lowered position perpendicularly to the plane.